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Suspect In Pittsfield Shooting Arrested In New York
 Thomas L. Newman, 18, of Pittsfield seen here in one of his Facebook photos, was arrested on Sunday in New York. He is being charged with the murder of Keenan Pellot Jr. |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The suspect in Friday's fatal shooting was arrested early Sunday in Utica, N.Y.
Thomas Lee Newman Jr., 18, is being charged with the murder of Keenan S. Pellot Jr. in the Tyler Street shooting.
Pellot, 18, and an unnamed 17-year-old man were shot outside of Chewy's Barber Shop on Tyler Street at about 1 p.m. Friday. Pellot died from the injuries and the 17-year-old man is expected to survive.
Police issued an arrest warrant Saturday afternoon for Newman, charging him with single counts of murder, and armed assault with intent to murder.
He was arrested Sunday morning in Utica by Utica Police and federal officials.
Newman will appear in court on Monday in Utica, where officials will seek his rendition to Massachusetts. At Monday's court hearing, he will answer to fugitive from justice charges.
The Utica Police Department in a statement said it had received reports that a man matching Newman's description had been seen in the area of Francis Street in that city. Officers stopped him and took him into custody. Newman apparently has an uncle by the same name who lives in Utica.
Friday's daytime shooting led to a manhunt for Newman and for hours police — both state and local — tracked down reports of other shootings, sightings of Newman, and vehicles suspected to be related but to no avail. Tyler Street was shut down for blocks in both directions as police canvassed the area.
A BOLO (be on the lookout) for Newman was released among law enforcement agencies over the scanner shortly after the shooting occurred, warning that Newman was "armed and dangerous" and seeking information on his whereabouts. Authorities lifted the BOLO on Sunday.
 Thomas Newman's booking photo. |
Pellot and Newman had reportedly known each other since childhood but Newman had more recently been living in Johnson City, Tenn. A family member told The Berkshire Eagle that the fight was about Newman dating Pellot's sister.
The shooting was the second in the city this month. On July 4, Ronald Pinel was killed in a shooting on Linden Street. District Attorney David Capeless' office said on Friday that authorities have not linked the two shootings but investigators would be considering that possibility.
Capeless' office said recently that the July 4 shooting investigation is hampered by lack of cooperation from residents in providing information.
Pellott, of Bartlett Avenue, had been charged earlier this year with assault and battery after allegedly stabbing a man after vandalizing his car, purportedly with a 17-year-old accomplice, and was released on personal recognizance in early July.
Update: Booking photo and additional information added at 11:34 a.m. on Aug. 3.
